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Elton John has confirmed plans to release new album 'The Diving Board' later this year.

The past decade has witnessed the re-invention of numerous heritage artists. From Johnny Cash to Neil Diamond, ZZ Top to Tom Jones an elder generation are busy shrugging off expectations and making new music.

Elton John could be next in line. Fresh from his appearance on the new Queens Of The Stone Age album, the legendary piano player is now focussing on a solo effort. 'The Diving Board' is set to be released later this year, and harks back to the early 70s recordings which made his name.

Another Bernie Taupin collaboration, Elton John found that the album was constructed in record time. "On the first three days of recording, in 2012, (Bernie and I) wrote 11 songs,” he says. “All the tracks on the first session were done in five days. We went back this year and Bernie wrote some additional lyrics. I chose four and they were written and recorded in two days."

Produced by T-Bone Burnett, the album features an array of crack musicians - including Jack Ashford of the Funk Brothers, who played on Marvin Gaye's classic album 'What's Going On'.

"When you’ve got musicians like these guys behind you, it’s so exciting" Elton John continued. "This was done, more or less, live. That’s the way I used to record. In the old days, with the Elton John album (1970) we were recording live with an orchestra, and I was terrified. But it’s the way to do it. And that’s the way T-Bone does it, he assembles this great group of musicians, and hence things don’t take five or six months."

Finishing, the piano player emphasised that this isn't an album made with commercial expectations in mind. "It's a very musical album... There’s a lot to take in. I’m not going to be chasing One Direction up the charts. I’m just making music I feel good about."